Where the Moon Sets, My Heart Finds Peace - Chapter 10

At six o’clock the next morning, the two of them met right on time at the school gates. Jiang Jingyue carried a small leather suitcase, dressed in a light gray casual outfit and a pair of clean white sneakers. Her long hair was tied loosely in a low ponytail at the back of her head, shedding her usual cold, distant aura for something softer and gentler.

They took a taxi to the bus station and caught a coach heading out to the village.

As the bus rolled along the countryside roads, Jiang Jingyue leaned against He Zian’s shoulder and gradually drifted off to sleep. He Zian looked down at her slightly curled eyelashes and her peaceful, sleeping face. A tender surge of affection welled up in her heart, and she felt a sudden, irresistible urge to lean down and kiss her eyes.

She wished with all her heart that this bus would just keep driving forever, that time would stop in this exact moment. But two hours later, the bus pulled to a smooth halt at the entrance of the village, where Grandma and Grandpa were already waiting by the roadside.

The moment the two elderly folks saw Jiang Jingyue, wide smiles broke out on their faces, crinkling their eyes. Grandma stepped forward quickly and took her hand, showering her with praise. “What a beautiful girl! Come inside with Grandma, dear. I’ve simmered a fresh chicken soup for you both.”

Being pulled along by the elderly woman, Jiang Jingyue looked a bit flustered. He Zian leaned close to her ear and whispered comfortingly, “My grandma is incredibly sweet. Don’t be nervous.”

After having lunch inside, He Zian, Grandma, and Grandpa needed to head out to the orchard to get to work. She told Jiang Jingyue to rest at home, but Jiang Jingyue insisted on tagging along, so He Zian had no choice but to bring her with them.

In the orchard, seven or eight hired workers were busily harvesting apples, while a wholesale merchant stood to the side, inquiring about prices.

He Zian and Jiang Jingyue stepped up to negotiate the price with the merchant, while Grandma and Grandpa stayed with the workers, reminding them to handle the apples gently so they wouldn’t snap the branches.

Apple prices were excellent this year, and the buyer offered a highly generous rate, so the two of them settled the deal without much effort.

By sunset, all five hundred boxes of apples harvested that day had been loaded onto the truck and driven away. With the first day going so smoothly, Grandma and Grandpa were in exceptionally high spirits.

After reminding the workers to show up on time the next morning, the four of them walked back toward the house. The orchard wasn’t far from home—just about a twenty-minute walk.

He Zian carried a few freshly picked apples in her arms. The moment they got home, she found a stick and skewered two of them to roast by the hearth fire. Grandma tied on her apron and turned into the kitchen to prepare dinner.

Jiang Jingyue wanted to help out in the kitchen, but Grandma laughed and pushed her back out. Left with nothing to do, she squatted down next to He Zian, asking curiously, “Why are you roasting apples?”

He Zian blinked mysteriously. “Have you never had a roasted apple before? They’re delicious. You’ll see once you try it in a bit.”

Once the apples were roasted, He Zian carefully placed them on a plate. She gently peeled back the slightly charred outer skin, scooped up a piece of the soft fruit flesh with a spoon, blew on it to cool it down, and naturally offered it to Jiang Jingyue’s lips.

Jiang Jingyue hesitated for a fraction of a second before opening her mouth slightly to take a bite. The fruit flesh was soft, smooth, and dense, like a delicate fruit puree. The tartness had softened, but the sweetness was richer, wrapped in a faint, crisp aroma of apple.

She ate daintily, the coldness completely melting from her features, replaced by a touch of warm, everyday life.

He Zian handed her the plate and spoon, then went to peel the other roasted apple for herself. Holding the plate, Jiang Jingyue took slow, quiet bites as a wave of warmth spread through her chest. Every time she was around He Zian, no matter what they were doing, she felt incredibly safe and at peace.

After dinner, Grandpa mentioned he was going to guard the orchard for the night. He Zian wanted to go with him, and Jiang Jingyue volunteered to join as well, but Grandma and Grandpa firmly refused at first. After a long back-and-forth, they finally compromised: He Zian and Jiang Jingyue would take the night watch tonight, Grandpa would take tomorrow night, and they would rotate from there.

There was a tiny wooden cabin in the orchard with only a single bed inside. Fortunately, both He Zian and Jiang Jingyue had slender frames, so they could manage if they squeezed in together.

Every family in the village had someone guarding their orchard. If anything happened, a loud shout would bring neighbors from all around running to help—after all, they were from the same village and knew each other well. So, Grandma and Grandpa didn’t worry too much about their safety.

After showering at the house, the two of them packed up and headed to the orchard.

The moon was brilliant that night, casting a clear, silver glow over the path that lit the way perfectly, making a flashlight completely unnecessary. Around them, the chorus of insects and birds rose and fell, but it didn’t feel noisy; instead, it only deepened the tranquility of the night.

Inside the cabin, only a small nightlight burned. The two of them sat side by side on the edge of the bed, appearing perfectly calm on the surface, though their hearts were already weathering a storm.

Ever since she saw He Zian throw herself into danger to save her last time, Jiang Jingyue had developed feelings that were hard to define. Reserved by nature, she had always been cautious and deeply reflective when it came to romance. She noticed the way He Zian’s gaze lingered on her during class, and the deliberate closeness whenever she came to the office to ask questions. She saw it all and kept it in her heart, but she had never been sure. He Zian was only twenty-one—what if this passion was just a passing whim, nothing more than a brief burst of novelty?

Jiang Jingyue refused to settle for anything less than real commitment; otherwise, with all the blind dates her father, Jiang Peng, had arranged over the years, she would have settled down long ago. She had always longed for a love that would last a lifetime. What caught her completely off guard, however, was that the person who made her heart flutter happened to be a girl six years younger than her. This went far beyond her understanding of relationships, leaving her with no choice but to restrain and hide her feelings.

More than that, she worried that if Jiang Peng found out, he would cause trouble for He Zian. And what about He Zian’s parents? How would they look at a relationship like theirs?

He Zian had always been the proactive one, a trait born from her bright, cheerful, and easygoing personality. Growing up in a warm, loving family had given her the courage to face her own feelings and express them openly.

Yet right now, sharing this tiny cabin with Jiang Jingyue—a room so small it could barely fit a single bed—she felt an unfamiliar wave of nervousness. She had a heart full of words she wanted to say to Jiang Jingyue, but whenever they reached her lips, she had no idea how to start.

After entering the room, Jiang Jingyue picked up a few old newspapers by the door and sat on the edge of the bed, flipping through them. He Zian held up her phone, pretending to scroll through videos, while the corners of her eyes kept stealing glances at Jiang Jingyue. They just sat there quietly, neither saying a word.

After sitting like that for nearly two hours, He Zian finally couldn’t hold back any longer. She spoke softly, “Let’s lie down. Sitting like this is making my back and neck ache.”

Jiang Jingyue looked up, slightly confused. “Aren’t we supposed to be guarding the apples? What if we fall asleep?”

He Zian couldn’t help but smile. “Why do you think there’s a bed in here instead of two chairs? Even if we fall asleep, we’d hear if someone actually came to steal the apples. The village nights are so quiet that even the faint sound of a vehicle can be heard perfectly clear.”

Jiang Jingyue nodded half-comprehendingly. Her innocent expression sent a flutter through He Zian’s heart, bringing back the urge to kiss her.

They turned off the nightlight and lay down fully clothed. Jiang Jingyue lay on her side, her back facing He Zian, while He Zian lay flat beside her. Because the bed was so narrow, He Zian’s arm inadvertently brushed against Jiang Jingyue’s back. The warm contact caused both of them to stiffen slightly.

After a long silence, He Zian spoke, her voice as light as a feather. “Are you asleep?”

Jiang Jingyue wasn’t sleepy at all. She replied softly, “No.”

He Zian turned onto her side, facing Jiang Jingyue’s back. Her voice was tender enough to melt water. “Then let me tell you a story.”

Jiang Jingyue: “Okay.”

He Zian began slowly, a trace of hidden nervousness straining her tone. “Once upon a time, there was a little girl. When she was small, she loved all kinds of fun toys, and when she grew up, she loved all kinds of delicious food. From childhood to adulthood, she lived exactly as she pleased, putting happiness above all else. But in the year she turned twenty-one, she met another girl. To her, that girl was like a fairy—ethereal, breathtakingly beautiful. Sometimes she felt so close, and other times she felt worlds away. Without realizing it, all her joys and sorrows became tied to that girl. She knew that feeling was love, but she didn’t dare tell her—because they were both girls, and this kind of love didn’t seem to be allowed by the world. But she couldn’t control herself. She wanted to be close to her, wanted her to see her heart, wanted to scream it out loud that she loved her.”

He Zian took a deep breath, her voice trembling slightly as she called out softly, “Jiang Jingyue, tell me… do you think that girl will like her back?”

Her gaze rested intently on Jiang Jingyue’s back. Her heart leaped into her throat, and she held her breath, terrified of missing even the slightest reaction.

After a moment of pure silence, Jiang Jingyue slowly turned around to face He Zian. In a voice so faint it was meant only for the two of them, she whispered, “She will.”

Before He Zian could even process the word, Jiang Jingyue leaned in and gently pressed her lips against He Zian’s. He Zian felt a wave of soft warmth wash over her, carrying the faint, clean scent of Jiang Jingyue’s skin. Her entire body froze, her eyelashes fluttering as she forgot how to breathe. The kiss was incredibly light and tender, filled with a quiet, careful reverence. It lingered for just a few brief seconds before slowly pulling away.

Jiang Jingyue’s fingertips gently brushed against He Zian’s cheek, her tone soft yet unshakeable. “He Zian, I like you too. It has nothing to do with whether you are a boy or a girl. It’s simply because it’s you—because you are the one and only He Zian in this world.”

He Zian felt a sudden rush of pure happiness wash over her—the person she loved happened to love her back. She reached out, gently wrapping her arm around Jiang Jingyue’s waist to draw her tighter into her embrace, and Jiang Jingyue naturally leaned against her shoulder.

He Zian’s shoulders were a bit slender, yet they gave Jiang Jingyue a sense of grounded security she had never felt before. Jiang Jingyue’s voice was as soft as a sigh. “Zian…”

“I’m here,” He Zian replied softly, her fingertips gently tracing down Jiang Jingyue’s back, her movements as tender as if she were soothing a fragile kitten.

Jiang Jingyue didn’t say anything else. She just leaned against her quietly, letting He Zian’s body heat seep into her heart, bit by bit. She suddenly understood that this was what true peace felt like—having someone by your side where, even if you did absolutely nothing, your heart could finally rest. She nuzzled slightly against He Zian’s shoulder, her lips curving up into a faint smile as she closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

The next morning, just as the sky was beginning to turn pale, the workers arrived at the orchard. Woken by the noise outside, Jiang Jingyue opened her eyes half-dazed. It took her a couple of seconds to realize she had fallen asleep wrapped in He Zian’s arms.

The soft tickle of He Zian’s hair still lingered against the crook of her neck, and her nose was filled with He Zian’s clean, warm scent. Her own arms, without her realizing it, had tightly encircled He Zian’s waist, her fingers lightly catching the edge of her shirt.

“Awake?”

From above came He Zian’s low voice, raspy with sleep but sweet as melted sugar.

Jiang Jingyue looked up, right into He Zian’s smiling eyes. A trace of sleep still clung to He Zian’s eyelashes, but her gaze was bright as morning dew, staring down at her without blinking, filled to the brim with tenderness.

“Mmh…” she murmured softly, her voice thick with sleep. “Did I wake you?”

“No.” He Zian leaned down, her nose gently nuzzling the crown of Jiang Jingyue’s head, her movements so delicate it felt like she was touching a rare treasure. “I just woke up too. You looked so peaceful, I couldn’t bring myself to wake you.”

The tips of Jiang Jingyue’s ears instantly flushed a delicate shade of pink. She tried to sit up, but He Zian’s hand gently pressed against her back, holding her in place.

“Stay like this a bit longer,” He Zian whispered against her ear, a hint of playful begging in her tone. “Just a little longer.”

Jiang Jingyue obediently leaned back into her, listening to the steady, strong beat of He Zian’s heart. Outside the window, the orchard was gradually coming alive with sound, but inside her chest, there was only absolute peace.

They held each other closely, sharing this fleeting, quiet moment.

As long as you are by my side, even if we do nothing at all, even if we just stay frozen like this, it feels like more than enough to last a lifetime.

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